About St. Raymond · Sam Rayburn, Texas
St. Raymond Mission is a small Catholic mission church serving the Rayburn Country area around Lake Sam Rayburn in East Texas. Established in 1970 by Father Richard Donahue, MS, it was the very first church of any denomination to be built in the then-new Rayburn Country recreational and retirement community. Today it operates as a mission of St. Michael Parish in Jasper, about 15 miles away, and is one of three missions served by that parish along with Our Lady of LaSalette in Kirbyville and Toledo Village Station. The mission is named for St. Raymond of Peñafort, the patron saint of vacationers and boaters — a fitting patron for a lakeside community.
- Established
- 1970
- Patron
- St. Raymond of Peñafort
- Rector
- Father Rejimon George, CMI
- Diocese
- Diocese of Beaumont
Why belong here
St. Raymond Mission offers a quiet, lakeside place of worship for Catholics who live in or vacation around Lake Sam Rayburn — one of the largest reservoirs in Texas. As a mission of St. Michael Parish in Jasper, it connects weekend visitors and full-time residents to the broader Catholic community of East Texas, with weekly Saturday evening Mass, a Friday morning Mass followed by Adoration, and the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before each Mass. It is also a fitting spiritual home for boaters and vacationers, since its patron, St. Raymond of Peñafort, is the patron saint of just those travelers.
Mass times at St. Raymond
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 8:00 AM – 8:20 AM
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 4:50 PM
Adoration times
- Friday 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM (following the 8:30 AM Mass; please call to confirm)
St. Raymond Mission — A Lake Country Catholic Community
St. Raymond Mission is the Catholic faith community serving the Rayburn Country area around Lake Sam Rayburn in East Texas. As a mission of St. Michael Parish in Jasper, it brings the Eucharist, Confession, and Adoration to the lakeside recreation and retirement community roughly 15 miles from the parish church. The mission is closely tied to the lake itself, in name as in geography: its patron, St. Raymond of Peñafort, is the patron saint of vacationers and boaters.
- Located at 283 FM 1007, Brookeland (Sam Rayburn), TX 75931
- Mission of St. Michael Parish, Jasper
- Served within the Northern Vicariate of the Diocese of Beaumont
History of St. Raymond Mission
In the late 1960s, the area around Lake Sam Rayburn — then being developed as Rayburn Country — had no church of any denomination. Father Richard Donahue, MS, the La Salette Missionary pastor of St. Michael in Jasper, saw an opportunity to build both a church and a retreat property for the La Salette Fathers. After speaking with Bishop Vincent Harris, construction began in early 1970. The builders used materials native to the East Texas piney woods, and a small parish hall went up alongside the church. On July 19, 1970, Bishop Harris blessed and dedicated the new mission, with Father Donahue concelebrating; an open house and barbecue followed the Mass. The mission was named for St. Raymond of Peñafort, the patron of vacationers and boaters.
- Construction began early 1970
- First church of any denomination built in Rayburn Country
- Dedicated July 19, 1970 by Bishop Vincent Harris
- Father Richard Donahue, MS, concelebrated the dedication
- Named for St. Raymond of Peñafort, patron of vacationers and boaters
Parish Leadership and Clergy
St. Raymond Mission is pastored together with its sister missions and the main parish church in Jasper by a single priest assigned to the St. Michael Parish cluster. The Diocese of Beaumont's '60 Years of History' page lists Father Rejimon George, CMI, as pastor of St. Michael Parish and its missions, including St. Raymond. Earlier diocesan directories (updated through March 2019) list Very Rev. Ronald B. Foshage, M.S., as pastor of the same cluster.
- Father Rejimon George, CMI — current pastor (Diocese of Beaumont '60 Years of History')
- Father Ronald B. Foshage, M.S. — listed in the 2019 diocesan directory
- Father Richard Donahue, MS — founder (1970)
- Brother Roman Wilbers, M.S. — listed as In Residence at St. Michael, Jasper
Connection to St. Michael Parish, Jasper
St. Raymond Mission is one of three missions served by St. Michael Catholic Church in Jasper, Texas. Together with Our Lady of LaSalette in Kirbyville and the Toledo Village Community Center (Toledo Bend Station), St. Raymond forms a small network of mission churches extending the pastoral reach of St. Michael into rural East Texas and onto the lake. All sacramental records, registration, and pastoral inquiries for the mission are handled through the St. Michael Parish office in Jasper.
- St. Michael Catholic Church, Jasper — main parish
- Our Lady of LaSalette Mission — Kirbyville
- Toledo Village Station — Toledo Bend Community Center
- St. Raymond Mission — Sam Rayburn / Brookeland
- Parish office: 2898 US Highway 190 W., Jasper, TX 75951 (Mailing: P.O. Box 239, Jasper, TX 75951)
Visiting St. Raymond Mission
St. Raymond Mission sits in Rayburn Country, near Lake Sam Rayburn — one of the largest man-made reservoirs in Texas and a popular destination for boating, fishing, and lake-house vacations. The mission is a natural spiritual home for weekend lake residents, vacationers, and snowbirds, given that its patron, St. Raymond of Peñafort, is the patron of vacationers and boaters. Visitors are always welcome and are encouraged to contact the parish office at (409) 384-2447 to confirm current Mass and service times.
- Address: 283 FM 1007, Brookeland (Sam Rayburn), TX 75931
- Parish phone: (409) 384-2447
- Website: stmichaelsjasper.com
- Diocese: Diocese of Beaumont
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Richard Donahue, MS1970 (founding)
La Salette Missionary; pastor of St. Michael in Jasper when St. Raymond was built; had the original vision for the church and a La Salette retreat property at Lake Sam Rayburn.
- Father Ronald B. Foshage, M.S.
La Salette Missionary; served as pastor of St. Michael Parish and its missions including St. Raymond, listed in the Diocese of Beaumont directory (2019 update).
- Father Rejimon George, CMI
Listed on the Diocese of Beaumont's '60 Years of History' page as current pastor of St. Michael Parish and its missions, including St. Raymond Mission.